How do anticoagulant compounds affect rodents?

How do anticoagulant compounds affect rodents?

• A. They instantly paralyze rodents
• B. They interfere with blood clotting and cause death from excessive bleeding
• C. They disrupt digestive processes
• D. They cause allergic reactions only

Answer: (B)

Anticoagulant compounds kill rodents by interfering with the blood’s ability to clot. They disrupt the action of vitamin K–dependent clotting factors, so the rodent’s blood can’t form proper clots. Over time, this leads to internal bleeding and death from hemorrhage. It’s not an immediate paralysis or a disruption of digestion, and it’s not limited to allergic reactions—the lethal effect is due to a failure of blood clotting.

Anticoagulant compounds kill rodents by interfering with the blood’s ability to clot. They disrupt the action of vitamin K–dependent clotting factors, so the rodent’s blood can’t form proper clots. Over time, this leads to internal bleeding and death from hemorrhage. It’s not an immediate paralysis or a disruption of digestion, and it’s not limited to allergic reactions—the lethal effect is due to a failure of blood clotting.